No One You Can Trust
by Outside The Box
Summary: An attack landed on the Asakura household. Anna is missing and Tamao is the only one who can point the person who did this. Who is going to live and who is going to suffer? R
1. Whatever

Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King. I don't own nothing ;;. Okay..whatever.

A/N:: This is a repost of the entire story. I took it down coz I just didn't want it up anymore but this is for Wusai-sama since she's done a lot and I feel I need to repay her for something at least!   
No One You Can Trust   
Chapter 1Prologue 

Manta Oyamada. You're every day strange, extremely short, loud, gullible?, noisy, outgoing, hyper, annoying, sociable, ranting, screaming, friendly, kawaii, rageful, agitated, overexcited, hectic, lively 13 year old boy who can see ghosts. Although most 13 year old boys may not be like that…..

The school bell rang dismissing the students. It was the end of the day for school that is, as his fellow classmates poured out of the classroom joyfully to go off doing their everyday after school plans. For Manta, of course, he was going nowhere but home.

It had only been a month ago, that the violent fiancee of Yoh Asakura was taken from him. Yoh had been cutting classes since then and on several occasions, he wouldn't even show up for a week at school. Sadly, Manta felt he hadn't known his 'best' friend well enough to be there for him in his lost.

And Asakura Hao was responsible for all of this. Well…..probably, but that's what Manta thought so. He hadn't trust him ever since he had first set eyes on the powerful Shaman. And Hao's interest in Anna had seemed to be more of an interest beyond the 'just friends' boundary.

Not to mention that Tamao to have also cut classes more often around the same time as Yoh had. He knew he felt the absence of Yoh's friendship. Yoh seemed to have turned to Tamao and Ren much more often than Yoh asking Manta for advice.

Or maybe they were just trying to lighten up the depressed kid…..?

Manta laughed bitterly to himself.

'Depressed? Now that's something that I probably would never had described Yoh as.' Manta thought sadly. Everyone's moods have fallen to depression hill. No one had seemed to be as alive or cheery anymore. Not even Horohoro. Was there something he probably didn't know?

"Manta-sama!" hearing the faint voice, Manta turned around at first response.

"Tamao-chan?" Manta replied, surprised to see Tamao running up towards Manta. "What? Is there something wrong?" he asked.

"No. Not really." Tamao sighed. And Tamao seemed to have been greatly affected by Anna's disappearance as well.

It all started when the school had a whole week's break. Anna, as usual, commanded the boy to do the house chores and grocery shopping for the week. Tamao was at home doing the other housework of maintaining the kitchen. Yoh and Manta went out to go shopping for food in the morning. Of course shopping for food wasn't the only thing guys would do.

Going around in media stores trying to pick up the latest CD from those 'cool' artists and having fun and eating out. But when Yoh and Manta came home, things had completely knocked their worlds upside down.

The house was a mess, seemingly vandalized and trashed. Anna was nowhere to be found and Tamao was left lying on the floor, beaten and traumatized. The young pink-haired girl was so traumatized, she couldn't say, eat, or drink anything for two days. The only words that Tamao kept whispering were 'They tried to kill me. They tried to kill me.'

After those two days of course, Tamao could speak again, barely. She said that it happened so fast, she couldn't really tell who it was. She didn't know what happened to Anna since she was in the kitchen and Anna was setting the table for dinner, and maybe thinking of what to scream at Yoh by the time they would have came back home.

She tried picking up all of the remaining memories of that incident. But it was clear to Manta what she was trying to explain was, she heard some glass breaking and figured it Yoh trying to run away from Anna's rage. Then Tamao was attacked from behind which caused her head to hit against the marble polished counter and fall again towards the hard floor.

There was enough evidence to say that Tamao tried to fight back. She used her Love Strike but the intruder was able to destroy her Over Soul. Fingers wrapped around her neck slamming her towards the ground holding there almost choking her to death. The only words that the intruder said was if she told his/her identity, he/she would make sure she would have to be eaten alive.

And Manta wasn't sure if she had still recovered her memories. Or possibly that she was too disturbed to say who it was. But Tamao didn't know if the intruder had anything involved with Anna's disappearance.

It probably did…..

"So? Is something wrong? What's the matter?" Manta asked still concerned.

"Umm…..Yoh-sama wanted you to come over for dinner today." She replied.

"R…..really?" Manta stuttered overjoyed with his friend's invitation.

"Yeah….." Tamao sighed. "I'm really worried for Yoh-sama. I wish there was something more I could have done. Because Anna-sama isn't there anymore, he won't talk to me. I feel it's all my fault."

"Don't worry Tamao-chan." Manta said confidently. "You did everything you could. And besides, how would you have known what was going on if that person attacked you from behind?"

"I haven't fully recovered. Faust-sama said that because of my head injury when I hit the counter, I probably had not much of an idea what had happened. It's more of like…..?"

"Amnesia?" Manta suggested.

"Yes, amnesia." Tamao nodded. "But if frightens me of that..…even if I remember who it was, that person….." she trembled.

"It's okay, Tamao." Yoh assuaged. Tamao and Manta looked up.

"Yoh-kun!" Manta cheered joyfully. Yoh smiled warmly, but his eyes were sad. The laid-back Shaman rubbed his eye and sighed, still feeling miserable from the aftershock. Although Manta felt it was probably Tamao that it hit hardest.

"Hey Manta-chan." Yoh waved. "How's school been getting along?"

"I don't know. It..…it's kinda lonely without you and Anna-chan around right now." He slowly admitted blushing. "I mean, it's not like anyone hasn't noticed. The whole school knows about Anna's disappearance and you not showing up at school much anymore." He examined Yoh for a moment and slightly blushed a little more. "…..You've..…been..…training?" he asked.

"Yes. Yoh-sama hasn't stopped training ever since Anna-sama's absence." Tamao replied.

"I see. So this is what you do when you cut classes, right?" he asked. Yoh shrugged. Manta looked down at his own feet feeling guilty for no reason.

"Well, mother and father just called me today. Nothing so far. Yohmei hasn't found anything either. If we can't find Anna within the next month alive, then Tamao is suppose to be the next in line for my fiancee." Yoh said. "I mean, not like it's a bad thing or anything but….."

"Yoh, don't talk that way..…please. I also do care about Anna disappearing." Tamao expressed sadly. And immediately after that, her eyes lit with anger, Manta thought he had never seen before or would ever have to see. "You say as if not caring who I am is your first priority! Even though I know you care about Anna-sama, it seems as if you wouldn't mind at all if I was the one who disappeared!"

"Tamao, I didn't mean---" Tamao shoved him out of the way dashing quickly off towards the distance before Yoh got to explain. He sighed with another tear streaming down his face. He let it flow down his face and drip towards the ground.

"…..Yoh-kun..…"

"Sorry you had to see that Manta..…" Yoh turned away from him. "..…It's just…..things..…don't seem to be the same anymore. I was always hoping Anna could just leave me alone for once so I can be with other people but now..…I just can't bear the thought of what could be happening to her right now."

"Have you talked to Maiden-sama about it yet?" Manta asked.

"No. I don't want her or the X-Laws to get involved. It's none of their business anyways."

"But what if it has to do with Hao?" Manta asked.

"I don't know, Manta. I can't see why it would be Hao anyways. If he really wanted Anna that much, why doesn't he just come and take her? I mean, I know he may not be the type of person to also think about destroying the inside of the house and hurting Tamao as well." Yoh explained. Manta nodded.

"I…..I'm just worried for you also, Yoh-kun. This is making all of us worry as well too. We're your friends, Yoh, that's why we're all helping you to find her." Manta condoled.

"…..Thanks, Manta." Yoh patted the boy's head smiling cheerfully. "It's nice to know that someone cares." They began to walk back quietly.

"Do you think Tamao would be home?" Manta asked.

"Yeah. I made her upset again. Even though I seem to take it so seriously and all, I think Tamao is the one that is hit hardest by it. She respected Anna-sama a lot and to have someone threatening to consume her alive as well, she must be scared shitless." Yoh mentioned.

"This is getting nowhere, Yoh, why don't you just ask Tamao to use her Ouija board?"

"She had." Yoh replied.

"And what 't sense anything. Ponchi and Conchi have been constantly complaining that Tamao isn't concentrating at all. That she isn't even trying. I think she's too scared to search for the answer or what the answer may be."

"I see….." Manta sighed. 'If I was a Shaman, how would this affect me? Maybe I could've helped Yoh-kun then. I feel so…..useless..…'

The itako's body was slumped against the chains that cuffed around her wrists. She looked almost dead, her head dropping towards the ground. Her arms were pulled behind her as the shackles were so tight around her wrists, it made them bleed. Her hands felt lifeless and gone.

She tried recalling the images of that night it all had happened.

'I shouldn't have stood up against…And now where's Yoh, my future Shaman King…..who's suppose to save me? Does he care about me anyways? I feel so hopeless…'

The cell door opened, the heavy wooden door knocking against the metal ridges, the collision echoing throughout the dreary prison. The rats that ran across the floor winced at the sudden rays of light pouring across the cell.

"Miss Anna Kyouyama?" the hoarse voice echoed bouncing off the walls as well. She didn't respond. She couldn't respond. Not after what had happened. "Perhaps you should learn how to answer when someone asks you something." A harsh slap on her face. She gasped from the sudden movement and recoiled against the pain. She still didn't answer.

"It's hopeless. She won't listen no matter what." A different voice remarked. "She's far too faithful to Yoh to answer."

"It doesn't matter right now." The figure turned around. "I want both of you to keep an eye on Tamao. She's still seems to be quite shaken up by the fact I attacked her as well."

"Yes." The two voices answered.

The three left the prison cell one by one. Before the last one left, Anna looked slightly up at the blinding light lastly seeing the powerful shaman.

A/N:: I've written complex stories before but instead I never really got to finish them because it got so complex, I started getting confused myself, LoL. I hope it doesn't happen with this fanfic since I'm going to make it like have multiple chapters so it doesn't end right now! Any ideas on the pairings and what I should include or not include? But anywayz…PLEASE R&R!!! I'd do anything if you do so!!! (a total lie but please review! Thnx)


	2. Tamao's Story

Update on this --- Should've said this long ago. This fanfic was typed way back in 2001/2002 so this is not my actual way of writing today. This means the story is already complete and you won't be in the hands of an "OMGCLIFFHANGER!!1" situation. If you like to read my current works, please do read "A Hundred Cows" or "Unknown Studios" and let me know how much "progress" I've made!

Disclaimer::………Yeah, yeah, I know. I don't own Shaman King. Geez… sighs And some of the inside jokes come from Final Fantasy (aka only the BEST series of video games ever made by Squaresoft!).

Chapter 2 Tamao's Story

"Hopeless."

"Just hopeless."

"I've heard of unconditional love but this is just a fanatic obsession I say. Someday, once she's strong enough, I swear she will battle Anna for Yoh's affection."

"It's just like Tenchi Muyo!"

"Wha?"

"Never mind…"

"Shhh!! She's waking up!"

"Good morning Miss Tamao!!" Ponchi cheered wizzing around the room. Tamao stretched and yawned getting up. She shook her head several times allowing her eyes to get adjusted to the dark atmosphere. Her eyes then set its gaze on the alarm clock.

"Oh no!" she began to panic. "I woke up five minutes late!" she immediately jumped out of bed immediately snapping out of the sleep trance searching through her closet finding clothes to wear for the day. "Why didn't you guys wake me up?" she scolded.

"Naa…..it was more fun watching you dream about your sweet Yoh." Conchi grinned mischievously.

"Noo…..you didn't hear everything. No you didn't! No you didn't! No you didn't!" Tamao insisted throwing a blanket over them covering them up as she quickly changed into her black pants and a white tank top. Rushing towards the mirror, she fumbled with the brush, brushing her hair making sure everything was in place.

"Geez Tamao, you're in such a rush. Besides, you're only late by five minutes," Conchi insisted.

"I know, I know, but you have to be punctual in everything, that's what Kino-sama always said." She opened the door quickly and quietly and rushed down the stairs with Ponchi and Conchi following behind her.

"You forgot to make your bed," Ponchi reminded.

"Oh yeah…..I guess I'll have to do that later. I need to get everything started up. Breakfast first, and then I have to tell Anna what we have to buy, check the fridge for expiration dates..…noo! See? This is what happens when you're late! And practice my daily routine with my Ouija board. GAA!!!" Tamao spazzed out.

"Calm down Tamao. We can help." Conchi smiled. By the time, she finished her ranting, Tamao with her two spirits, Ponchi and Conchi were in the kitchen getting things all set up.

"That's good." Tamao seemed to have almost ignored them completely wrapped up with the schedule she was five minutes behind on. "Now check the fridge first for any dates that has expired today and before." Tamao ordered. She began setting the table warming the kitchen up starting off by looking at the list of what meals to make for breakfast. A list that she had written last night.

"Not good…..Anna-sama and Yoh-sama may not be too happy with this kind of poor punctuality." She picked up the phone calling up the Oyamada residence.

"Hi Manta-sama. Do you want to join us for breakfast?"

"Umm…..sure..…why not? Is it important or anything?" he asked pretty much confused.

"No, but I think dear Yoh would be glad to have you come over for breakfast." She suggested.

"Umm…..no problem," Manta gazed up at his calendar checking the schedule if there was anything he needed to do anything for the morning. "I'll be over at…..let's say..…nine to nine-thirty?" he arranged.

"Alright, thanks. See ya here." Tamao hung up beginning on with her daily chores. Manta stared at the phone for a moment.

"Geez she hangs up fast..…maybe she got up late? Oh well." Manta shrugged going back to sleep.

"AHHH!! NOOO!!!" Yoh who freaked out from the nightmare sat up sweating as if he had been training for hours. He wiped his skin dry from all of the sweat, panting and breathing heavily from the haunting nightmare that forced the young laid-back Shaman to wake up suddenly.

"Master Yoh?" Amidamaru questioned in concern, coming to Yoh's aid. "Did you have a nightmare?" he asked.

"Yeah, you guessed it," Yoh nodded. "And it was weird also." Yoh's eyes widened. "I dreamt that Ryu was going out with Anna."

"Yes…..yes…..that possibly may be a very scary dream." Amidamaru thought hard about it. "I could only imagine that Ryu could not have survived after the first few days with Anna if it had ever occurred to you of her 'training guide to become the Shaman King' is one of her more valuable torturing treatment."

"I know." Yoh thought surprised. "And then my second dream was freakier."

"Oh really?" Amidamaru nodded grimly. "Say it."

"Okay. You won't believe it but..…my brother, Hao Asakura, fell in love with that girl…..Iron Meiden Jeanne, I think that's how they say her name..…and he also brought her flowers and chocolate!"

"GAAA!!! How freaky! They're like..…opposite!" Amidamaru cowered in fear not knowing what to do anymore. "My dear master has been having perverted dreams lately for the past few weeks. What should become of my dear ol' friend?"

"And then there's a third dream!"

"Nooo! I don't want to hear anymore!" Amidamaru flew out of the room terrified. "My virgin ears!" Yoh heard him say something like that and smiled weakly to himself.

"Wait Amidamaru!" Yoh called. He laid back down and sighed laughing to himself. "Asakura Hao doing that? Jeanne's cute, but..…ahh! how freaky," Yoh shudders in petrified fear. "And what would Lyserg's and Marco's reaction have been…..?"

"I don't want to know," Amidamaru peeked from outside of the door.

"Hey, so you are still here!" Yoh smiled.

"Would I abandon you?!" the samurai spirit scolded. "Anyways, changing the subject, the breakfast Miss Tamao is making today smells good as always and Mr. Manta Oyamada is coming over for breakfast." He explained.

"Really? Cool!" Yoh fell backwards and back to sleep again.

"YOH!!"

Moaning in frustration, he pulled the covers over his head to block out the sunlight that had already shone brightly and happily into his room. Amidamaru sighed for a moment, the door was closed blocking out all senses of smell and sound. And then, the samurai ghost sensed a frightening power and hastily flew threw the walls away from Yoh's room, as far as possible. The door swung open slamming against the wall scaring the hell out of the sleeping teen.

"Oh shit, Anna! Why do you make me have to get up so early?!" Yoh screamed throwing off the covers of his blanket. Anna who was holding a pail and a mop, dropped them to the floor and folded her arms with a pissed off look on her face. Yoh could've sworn she blushed for a moment. It wasn't like the cranky itako to blush…..at all.

"Right. You have housework to do today." She reminded.

"Yeah, yeah." Yoh muttered his eyelids beginning to close. His body began to rock back and forth and about to fall backwards against his pillow.

"WAKE UP!" she yelled. Yoh practically jumped to his feet in surprise. Yoh saw her blushing. "A-A-And put some clothes on!" she screamed pointing at him before slamming the door shut. Yoh blinked looking down on himself and quickly covered his hands over swearing to himself.

Tamao, who was in the kitchen, beginning to stress and worry over the five minutes she overslept on dreaming about Asakura Yoh. The soup was a spoon of salt too short when she found that there was no more salt in the cabinets in the kitchen.

"Excuse me Miss Anna, but…..where's dear Yoh?" Tamao asked Anna. Anna blushed for a moment thinking lastly of what she had seen just only minutes ago.

"Please don't mention his name right now." Anna warned. "He's…busy…"

"With who?"

"I didn't mean it that way!" Anna yelled. 'God, I'm having a stressful morning.' She shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Miss Anna." Tamao bowed with a worried look. "I need more salt."

"Can't be that bad now, can it?"

"Well, can you ask dear Yoh to get some groceries? We're already beginning to run out of food again." Tamao mentioned. "The reason is with having to cook for more than three people each and every day." The broiler began to bubble with the wonderful smell of soup in the air.

"Yeah, Manta's coming over, right? Do his parents even know about Manta being over here all the time?" Anna asked.

"I don't know, Miss Anna." Tamao sighed. "But I need more salt." The broiler began to bubble a little bit more. The smell of soup was still hung fresh in the air.

"You go tell Yoh to get it." Anna snapped writing a few lines to her paper. "I have to work on this right now."

"I thought Yoh would be much more of an importance to you, Miss Anna." Tamao thought.

"But it won't help if both of us don't get an education." The itako mumbled rereading the lines she had just written. "Besides, I don't want an uneducated bum as my future husband. It's time the Asakura family started seeing that education is vital for the future Shaman King."

"Yes, I agree. We also need more fruits." Tamao checked some of the fruits. "And some more chicken and vegetables. Agh…" Tamao sighed. "More juice can do. Mr. Ryu drank up most of it."

"Tell Yoh to go buy them." Anna clenched her fists hoping she wouldn't have to use them. "Wait a minute…" she thought she grinned not too pleasantly. "I'll have someone else do the groceries."

"Like who, Miss Anna?"

Anna walked over towards the opposite side of the kitchen as Tamao stared at her and blinked in confusion. Picking up the phone, she looked at the address book and dialed a few numbers. A few rings were heard until someone finally picked it up.

"Oh, moshi moshi." Anna greeted almost too cheerfully that it made Tamao cringe.

"Hi who is this?" a familiar voice came from the other line.

"This is Anna Kyouyama calling from the Asakura residence." Deathly silence was heard on the other side. "Anyways, do you want to come over tonight? Yoh wants to invite you, your friends, family whatever, over for dinner….." Some mumbling was heard as in either total surprise or shock, Tamao sighed in pity for the person Anna may be talking to. Anna walked out of the kitchen wanting to talk more privately.

The broiler began to overflow completely.

"Ahh! No!" Tamao reached over to it trying to raise the lid. Instead the pressure blew the lid off completely with the tin flying across the kitchen.

"Hey wazup?" Yoh walked in greet Tamao.

"Dear Yoh! Watch---" The tin smacked into his face. "---out…" Tamao shut her eyes as Yoh fell to the ground. Tamao covered her mouth with her hands rushing out of the kitchen.

Anna walked back in the room a few minutes later with a pleased look on her face. Her expression immediately changed seeing Yoh completely dazed.

"H-Hey…" he grinned.

"What happened to you?" Anna questioned.

"I'm sorry Miss Anna! It was all my fault. I should have checked on the soup. It's my responsibility, I apologize!" Tamao bowed politely again and again back in the kitchen. "I got a first aid kit." She held out.

"A punch from your brother would have knocked your head off! You better be lucky that it was a lid off some kitchen supply! Do you think I'd want MY future Shaman King to get killed by some freak accident from a tin lid?!?! YOH?!?!"

"I…want…food." Yoh hung his head back on the chair and began to snore.

"Oh God. Please help me get by today." Anna stormed out of the room.

"I can't continue cooking without more salt." Tamao stared back at the broiler which had overflowed. She looked at Yoh and sighed. "Dear Yoh. What do you want for breakfast?" Yoh seemed to have wakened up a little.

"I…want…food."

"I know but what would you like?" Tamao asked.

"I…want…Manta."

"Manta is not food, dear Yoh." Tamao sighed. "This is hopeless. How about some rice I just made? Or maybe some nice hot chocolate could start out the day?" Yoh blinked several times as if he snapped out of his daydreaming. He stared at Tamao for a moment. Tamao stared back in confusion. "What is it?"

"Did you hear what I said?" Yoh asked blushing furiously.

"You mean about you wanting to eat Manta for a breakfast." A picture of a demonic Yoh sitting at the table with a knife and a fork ready to eat Manta who was wrapped up in seaweed (like sushi) on a big plate and Yoh laughing the evil lord laugh, flashed in Tamao's mind. She smiled weakly at her own imagination.

"I…I said I wanted to eat him? Is that what I said?" Yoh asked seeming to be a bit more relaxed.

"Not exactly." She thought over. "You said you wanted Manta. Why? Is there something wrong?"

"Neneneneno. No-nothing's wrong. Heh, heh." He grinned. Tamao blinked with suspicion drifting in the air. "Y-You believe me, right?" he asked.

"Of course…dear Yoh." Tamao hardly agreed trying to hold back from giggling. "May I suspect something is going on between you two?"

"Nothingisgoingon!" Yoh blushed ten shades of red. "Nothing, alright? Nothing. You're cute and all but it's just that you just REALLY need to understand that there is NOTHING going on." He raced out of the kitchen quickly up to his room.

"…Yoh-sama thinks I'm…cute?" Tamao blushed. A smile of joy graced her face. "Am I…cute?" her face turned more shades of crimson. "I'm so glad! Yoh-sama complimented me." She turned around resuming her cooking with more energy than ever. "I'll make the best dishes for Yoh-sama tonight." She thought quickly chopping up some vegetables and rinsing them in the sink.

Yoh tramped his way upstairs passing the mop and the pail. His hand was inches away just as he was about to touch the doorknob to open the door to his room…

"And just where are you going?" Anna asked hearing stomping feet down the hallways.

"Oh crap. Now I'm dead…" he shuddered turning around with a false joyful grin on his face. "Hi Anna! I just left the pail and the mop up here. So I had to go get it." He lied.

"Really." She nodded slightly obviously not believing a single word her future husband had to say.

"Yeah. Really." Yoh nodded eagerly hoping she would let him slip by.

"Do you need glasses? I just brought the mop and the pail downstairs. Didn't you see it on the way up?" she asked.

"N-No. I j-just had t-to---" he stammered pointing his finger in different directions.

"You're doing my chores today for practically lying to your wife." She scolded. Yoh's mouth dropped open.

"B-but I--th-they were h-here." He pointed to the door to his room. He sighed as Anna walked back downstairs. He turned around and found the pail and the mop exactly where they were before. "What the hell?! ANNA!"

"Oh my. Dear Yoh is very upset." Tamao blinked hearing the screams of rage.

"I had to. I need to finish up my research paper." Anna wrote a few more lines to her report. "Besides men need to learn from their youthful years to get the habit kicked into them."

"Yes. I agree, Miss Anna." Tamao sat down across from the itako. "Miss Anna? Who did you ask to get groceries?"

"Oh." She smiled. "You'll see."

"How did you do that?" Tamao dared to ask. Anna smiled evilly.

"He knows what will happen to him if he doesn't. And besides, it will save us a few bucks too."

"Was it Manta whom you called?" Tamao asked. The thought of Yoh this morning wanting Manta in his dream flashed in her mind. She wasn't sure whether or not to say it but decided to keep her mouth shut to keep out of their privacy.

"Oh no. That'd be WAY to obvious." Anna wrote another line onto the page.

"And who asked you to buy all of this?" Chocolove asked Horohoro who was carrying practically seventy pounds of food.

"The witch." Horohoro cried struggling to hold the food.

"Maybe she's helping to train everyone to at least try to bring up your furyoku or have a high hope of becoming Shaman King. She trained Yoh…the hard way. And maybe she's training you to carry these giant bags of food ten miles to Yoh's house." Chocolove nodded.

"That's nice. It would also BE nice if you could help me carry some of it." Horohoro begged.

"Do you think Ren should come along also?" Chocolove asked.

"I can't see how that bastard can be so damn calm around that bitch." Horohoro screamed. "She could make any normal person go insane, I swear!"

"It sucks to be you, man." Chocolove chuckled following the tortured child. "You know, you could ask Kororo to help carry some of it."

"NOW YOU MENTION IT!" Horohoro yelled. "Should've thought about that sooner. Kororo appeared instantly lifting off some forty pounds (figuratively).

"My arms are sore." He struggled.

"It's good exercise." Chocolove complimented.

"Shut up! At least you don't have to carry all off this!" he screamed at the boy.

Horohoro who was still carrying the overloads of food realized all of the grocery bags slammed into something.

"Oh god…..oh god…..nooo!!!" he cried as the bags toppled to the ground with some fruits and cans rolling out into the streets.

And that it just so happened that a few cars ran over the metal cans, the worn out tires burst. One car swerved to the right and smashed into several. Chocolove and Horohoro and Kororo covered their eyes with their hands as about eight cars slammed into one another.

"You're dead." Chocolove sneered playfully. Horohoro gawked staring at the streets. Drivers popped their heads out of their cars yelling profane words.

"Sugoi!" Macchi cheered. "You should try that more often."

"Mari is very confused..…?" she blinked staring at the street with the people screaming at each other shouting 'jackass' or 'asshole'. "Mari wonders if people usually talk like that if they're angry. Mari wonders if Hao talks like that as well even though she's never heard him say it before. Mari wonders if she can talk like that too. Ass-hole. Mari thinks you're an asshole…..?" Mari said to Chocolove. He blinked back. Kanna just laughed to herself. Horohoro looked over and gasped in horror.

"Mari has looked it up in a dictionary before. Jackass means a donkey. Asshole means a donkey too. Why don't people call each other donkeys instead?"

"Because, Mari-chan, the words 'jackass' and 'asshole' are intended for people who want to express their anger much more strongly than others." Macchi explained. Kanna glared at the younger voodoo expert. The one younger than Mari.

"…..And how do YOU know this stuff?" Kanna glared.

"And what about you?"

"That's different! I'm an adult!!"

"You're still in your teens, bitch!"

"Mari wonders what a 'bitch' is. Chuck, do you know what a 'bitch' is?"

"Say that again!!" Kanna's spirit, Ashcroft appeared armed. Macchi held out her scary pumpkin doll thing.

"Fine! You're..…an OLD BITCH instead!" she slapped the older girl silly with the broom stick.

"Let's run while we still can?" Horohoro and Chocolove snuck past the fighting duo with the one named 'Mari' watching as a spectator. As soon as they fully got around the trio, and fleeing trying to look innocent.

"What do you mean you dropped all of the groceries?!" Anna slammed her fists against the table with an extremely pissed off attitude.

"I accidentally knocked into a girl and everything just…..fell….." Horohoro hid under table.

"You son of a---" the itako punched the lights out of Horohoro who laid knocked out against the ground.

"Poor guy." Chocolove shrugged eating some of the food offered to him. "Not bad at all. It's actually pretty good." He complimented chugging down some more food. "Can I have more, Tamao?"

"It's rude to ask for so much after what has already been provided to you," Manta mentioned avoiding Anna's glare.

"That's alright. It's the best compliment for one who cooks, that their guests would request for more." Tamao agreed serving some of the food she still had prepared for breakfast. "Yoh-sama? Manta-sama?"

"Yeah?"

"I was wondering since Horohoro spilled the food into the street, if you could do the shopping. It looks like we're going to have to pay after all." Tamao stated examining the list.

"Sure, no problem!" Yoh accepted the list willingly with him and Manta walking out the door. "We'll back around evening, okay?"

"Alright." Tamao agreed as they shut the door behind them.

"So why didn't Ren come along?" Anna asked.

"Let me guess. He chickened out." Manta suggested. Anna slapped him. "Oww."

"He said he had other business to take care of." Chocolove explained. "He didn't really tell us what kind of business he said, but I'm thinking its all family issues and stuff. His family never seems to get along." He looked over seeing the Shaman lying on the ground. "Are you ever gonna get up, man?"

"Shh!" Horohoro begged. "I'm trying to look dead so I don't have to be killed." He stayed lying towards the ground.

"I heard that." Anna grumbled. Horohoro immediately stood up and sat down in his seat as if nothing had happened. "You better watch your mouth, runt, or the next time you spill groceries, I'll make sure you stay dead." She threatened. Horohoro, Manta, Tamao, and Chocolove smiled weakly.

Later that day, she began finishing up with her clean up work. Tamao began finishing up her dishes while Ponchi and Conchi flipped the channels staring, goggled-eyed at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Anna who just sighed hopelessly walking by every once in a while, folding the laundry and cleaning up small messes here and there that were left around the house.

"Will you PLEASE switch to a different channel?" Anna scolded.

"Why? Are you jealous you'll never become like those hot babes?" Ponchi teased. Conchi tied the bandana that was usually on his neck around his eye hearing the sounds of hell coming from a few feet away.

"What's wrong?" Tamao peeked out of the kitchen and smiled weakly seeing Ponchi all beaten up. "Excuse them, Miss Anna." Tamao went back into the kitchen again. "How embarrassing! And again, Ponchi and Conchi had made a fool out of me." She sighed continuing on with her daily chores hoping it would help her forget.

Today was like all other Sundays that they've had. Nothing much. Just house work, cleaning stuff up, and refilling the empty spaces in the refrigerator. Of course, no one knew that today would have changed their lives entirely. Tamao of course wouldn't have known since she hadn't used her Ouija board for predicting any dangers that may happen that ordinary Sunday.

Finishing up the last touches to the kitchen, Tamao rested on her bed in her room thinking about Yoh.

"I still think it's a fanatic obsession."

"She'll be the next Hitler."

"Please be quiet!" Tamao said furiously. Ponchi and Conchi shutted up.

"Yes ma'am!" they ran off through the walls and down the stairs getting their eyes glued to the television with the program of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show still going on.

Satisfied that she was left in peace, Tamao fell asleep hoping to wake up some time before 5:00PM.

A sudden tremble of fear shook through her body waking her up. An instant human reflex made her sit up looking around the room glaring at everything that could looked like it could attack. The dark shiver that sent down her spine made her immediately cower hiding herself under the blanket and pillow.

"Who's there?" she whispered. No answer. Only the reply of the deadly silent room. "Hello?" she reached out for her Ouija board and realized it was lying across the floor. 'Me? Scared of a gut instinct. Ponchi and Conchi must be right. I am going to go insane.' She got up walking towards the board to pick it off the ground until sudden words were forced into her mind.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The words were planted. She didn't know how they came into her head. She didn't hear a voice, only a blank mind putting its thoughts into her head.

"W..Why?" she trembled. The thoughts didn't answer back. Tamao again reached further daring the mind to mock her again.

"If you touch it, I will kill you." Her eyes widened in shock as she backed away from the Ouija board. "That's a good girl. I'll be watching you so you better not get anywhere near it…..understood?"

"Who are you?!" she demanded. Tears began to form in her eyes. The mind seemed to have laughed at her.

"Poor Tamao. It looks like the Asakura family has neglected your talent. Your predictions 90 of the time have been quite accurate. People wouldn't rely on you if you were just..…a beginner in using the Ouija board. I'm pretty sure seven years does not make you a trainee anymore. Am I right?" The young Shaman not being able to hold back the tears anymore rushed out of the door and down the stairs causing quite a commotion in the entire house.

"Tamao?" Anna questioned. The pink-haired girl ran straight past her and out of the backyard door. "Tamao!" she ordered going after her. Ponchi and Conchi looked up.

"It's your fault!"

"Fault your it's!"

"You made Tamao cry, dumbass!"

"Dumbass, cry Tamao made you!"

"Heh?"

"?heh"

Anna opened the screen door and let out a breath seeing the younger girl rock back and forth herself on the field, her arms wrapped around her legs. The itako walked over and sat next to her and blinked realizing the shocked look in her eyes.

"What's wrong, Tamao?" Anna asked. Tamao embraced Anna and began to cry.

"It…..It..…It told me not to touch my Ouija board. If I did, it said it would kill me and it's watching me." Tears streamed down her face. Ponchi and Conchi poked their heads out of the door, their faces softened up seeing their master in pain.

"What? Who?" Anna asked slowly looking around seeing if she could sense anything. There was nothing. "There's no one here. It's alright."

"It isn't….." Tamao cried. "I swear I didn't imagine it. I got near the Ouija board and it didn't want me to touch it. I don't understand…"

"I'll check on it." Anna got up giving her a hand. Tamao gratefully accepted it and the two went walked back towards the house. Anna glared at Ponchi and Conchi. "And what are both of YOU suppose to be doing?!" she asked.

"We're sorry, Tamao." Conchi apologized. "We'll help you in any way possible." Anna turned towards her.

"Tamao, I hope it was probably just a dream. You go prepare dinner now and I'll go upstairs and bring the Ouija board. If there are any voices, I'm there this time, along with Ponchi and Conchi, okay?" Anna reassured.

"Yes, thank you, Miss Anna." Tamao thanked.

"Yeah. Prepare dinner now." The two went off in separate directions. Tamao still trying to hold her sanity together picked up her heart shaped over soul board for defense and went into the kitchen setting the table. She looked up at the ticking kitchen clock which read 5:00PM.

Getting out some of the dishes, she fumbled with them and almost dropped one. Setting the table, Conchi who was observing saw, her arm tremble in result from her shock.

"Tamao-san?"

"I…..I'm alright, Conchi. I just don't know what would do that. Did you do that?" she asked. "Because if you did, that wasn't very funny."

"Scaring you?" Conchi asked. Why would I be scaring someone like my master if I'm going to miss a night of a lifetime!" he exaggerated pointing towards the television. Tamao smiled shaking her head. "Besides, if I find that person who did that to you, I'll promise I'll beat them up for you!" Conchi swung his fists in the air punching aimlessly at nothing.

"Thanks Conchi. It's kind of odd for me to say this but sometimes both of you make me feel really happy. Thanks." She smiled brightly. Conchi laughed lightly.

"And I'm glad to have a cute master as well." Conchi complimented straightening the utensils to look perfect laying vertically to the plate.

After the few minutes of peace and calmness to the environment, Tamao heard a window shatter. She sighed hopelessly.

"It looks like Miss Anna may be having one of those fits against dear Yoh. I wonder how expensive that may cost to replace the broken window," Tamao looked up through the kitchen against the moonlit sky. The glass she held in her hand slipped and crashed against the ground with sharp pieces flying all over the kitchen floor.

"On no!" she squealed at the sight of broken glass. "Now how much was that suppose to cost? I think I'm having a very bad day..…" she sighed grabbing a soft, wet, thick cloth ready to pick up the mess. She held the cloth out into the air as if ready to hand it over to someone.

"Conchi. Could you please pick up the glass using this cloth?" she asked getting the pot full of water ready to steam up. "Conchi? Wherever you are, can you please take the cloth and use it to pick up the glass on the floor? Conchi? Conchi?!" as if Conchi did respond, Tamao's head flew forward hitting the cabinet with her shoulder blade.

Losing her balance, she fell towards the floor, her head knocking first into the hard marble counter.

"Conchi! That wasn't funny!" she tried recovering by getting up quickly. Tamao turned around to see where Conchi may have been, instead a large hand covered her face and slammed her against the floor, the glass cutting deep into her head, her neck, and the soft, vulnerable skin. Tamao's eyes widened in horror as she looked up against the intruder, tears streaming down her face.

She responded with a sharp kick up at the intruder's chin. Her immediate human reflexes kicked in making her use her Over Soul against the enemy.

"Love Strike!!" She muttered as the giant bow released the arrow towards the enemy. Warm, hot blood streamed down the side of her face, her hand wet with crimson. The intruder merely smiled charging through her Over Soul and destroyed her Over Soul source.

"No…..stop! Leave me alone!" she cried before the fingers wrapped around her neck holding her body against the broken wall, with splinters of woos sticking out, one large splinter slicing through flesh. One sliced through her shoulder, the other below her elbow, and one at her heel. And the tears kept flowing as she felt the life being suffocated out of her.

A/N:: I decided to stop from there :P. I'll add the next chapter soon…..


	3. And Still It Goes On

Chapter 3And Still It Goes On

A/N: II oowwnn nnootthhiinngg!

The intruder came close to her, whispering in her ear so only she could hear.

"Like I said. I'll be watching you. And do NOT tell anyone of my appearance here." The enemy hissed. Tamao winced against the enemy's strong grip over her, although it was more of the wooden splinters that held her body up painfully against the wall.

"Yes, you're probably wondering why I chose you. Think about it. You have an Ouija board that will give you all of the answers that you need. And that can be deadly sometimes. Especially when it's someone like you who can use it so well, it becomes as a threat that no one before had noticed."

The young Shaman was completely frozen in terror, unable to move or speak. Seeing that he/she had the advantage over her now, whispered softly and coolly.

"If I catch you telling anyone, I will eat you alive. Literally. If you don't believe me, you can always try. But you will always be watched." The intruder warned. Tamao opened her mouth to say something 'what happened to Anna' but nothing came out. To shaken to speak at all, more tears fell before she entirely blacked out.

The intruder pulled her slowly out of the long wood splinters and rested her against the ground. The shattered over soul source that belonged to the young Shaman laid a few feet away, broken and in pieces. The intruder smiled once before walking off. The figure looked up at the two helpers that came along with the itako being carried by one of them.

"Excellent. We got what we came for. We better leave before they come back."

"Are you sure we aren't going to kill Tamao?" The enemy thought about it for a moment looking back into the kitchen where the young Shaman laid weakened and traumatized and bleeding against the kitchen floor with the hundreds of glass shards stained with crimson as well. It made the enemy's eyes spin for a moment. But the blood everywhere was almost too much.

"They're going to need a witness. We'll keep an eye on her and see how faithful she can be." The person laughed before walking out of the door with his/her two followers carrying the itako on one shoulder, leaving the wrecked house behind.

"That was fun!" Yoh laughed sitting down on the park bench eating some ice cream.

"Yeah. I never thought that you'd actually participate. If Anna had found out what you had done, she…"

"Probably wouldn't have believed it." Yoh laughed lightly. "Well, I hate seven hot dogs in one minute. I got my 30,000 yen so she has to be happy about something. But I'll be sad." Yoh sighed.

'Why?" Manta asked.

"Because Anna is just going to take it and spend it all away within minutes for clothes." Yoh sighed pitifully.

"I feel your pain," Manta patted his friend on the back.

'Boy, am I glad that I don't have to have a scary fiancée.' Manta laid back against the park bench looking up at the blue sky with the bird flying across landing on another branch of a tall tree. He sighed.

"Yoh?"

"Yeah?"

"I have a question…" Manta felt his cheeks began to grow hot. Yoh blinked.

"Hey, your face is all red."

"GYAAA! Shut up!" Manta turned away. Yoh smiled. "Yoh? It's…..umm..… do you like Anna? As in like-like? Coz you're both fiancees and all so….."

"I don't know, Manta actually. If I did really love her, I probably would've told the world because I would have been so happy." Yoh thought. Manta sighed in relief. "But don't tell Anna that. I still respect her as a good friend. Marrying a good friend is kind of weird since I don't like her-like her."

"Do you…..like-like anyone?" Manta asked.

"I don't know. Maybe I shouldn't say it right now." Yoh looked away. "Besides, it's only suppose to be a crush, right? It'd be bad if Anna knew..…" he sighed.

"Tell me Yoh!" Manta asked cheerfully. Yoh blushed looking away. "Pleeaaase! I bet it's Tamao!"

"No no no, not right now." Yoh coughed. "You're my best friend, Manta. This is the closest I've ever told anyone yet." He pointed out. Manta sighed a little disappointed but then again, filled with high hopes.

"Alright. But tell me who it is when you need to, okay?" Manta asked. Yoh smiled at the smaller boy and nodded.

"Right. Anything we've said here does NOT leave this place." Yoh instructed. Manta nodded.

"Yes. I know. And if I tell Anna?" Manta asked teasingly.

"Don't. But anyways, if that did ever happen, I'll..…be your spirit!" Yoh exclaimed.

"NO!" Manta screamed back at his friend. Yoh just gave his carefree smile and lain back. The tree provided a cool refuge from the evil, hot, burning sun. After relaxing a few minutes, Manta looked at his watch.

"Shouldn't we be getting back home now, Yoh-kun?" Manta asked. "It's already 4:45PM." He said looking over and saw his best friend sleeping drooling on the park bench. "YOH!"

"Huh?" he immediately sat straight up like a zombie. Manta blinked. "Did you say something, Manta?" Yoh asked picking up his headphones. Manta sighed hopelessly wondering how his laid-back friend could be so laid-back when there is a scaaaarrry fiancee waiting to kick his ass back home. Anna Kyouyama was probably the only opponent Yoh may ever chicken out to fight against no matter how high his furyoku can be. The controlling wife always has her way. Thinking about that, Manta covered his mouth with his hands holding back laughter.

"What is it, Manta?" Yoh asked. Manta smiled shaking his head.

"Nothing. Just pitying how much you have to go through."

"Hey….."

"Anyways!" Manta stood up on the park bench, his head slightly higher than the backseat. "It's 4:45PM."

"Anna is going to kill me; I was suppose to be home by 5:00PM." Yoh admitted.

"Stupid!" Manta yelled.

"Don't worry Manta! It only takes ten-minutes to walk back. Anna will be happy to know I'm home early!" Yoh picked up the grocery and shopping bags along with Manta's help and began their slow walk home.

"You're walking too slow. Hurry up," Manta walked a few steps further ahead.

"I…..don't wanna go home." Yoh admitted.

"WHY!"

"Ohh it's nothing..…I am going to have to face her sooner or later," Yoh shrugged speeding up his pace until he finally caught up with Manta. "I guess I just wanted today to last longer, I guess. It was fun, don't you think?" Manta blushed again but this time, looked down at his own two feet exchanging steps.

"Y…..Yeah I guess so." Manta stuttered. "I think days like these should last longer. By the way, did you finish your research paper yet?" Manta asked. Yoh stared down on the little kid.

"What research paper?"

"Yoh? Did you even DO the research paper? Or on the other hand, KNOW there was one due tomorrow first thing in the morning?" Manta asked.

"Gee, I completely forgot about it." Yoh confessed. Manta's mouth drop opened.

"It's suppose to be three pages long, typed." He said. "And I'm sure you've chosen a topic?"

"What topic?"

"You're hopeless, Yoh-kun," Manta sighed. "Maybe requesting to Anna that she'd also be responsible for your schoolwork and make you do the light-chair for a day every single time you forget to complete an assignment. It could help straighten you up."

"NOOO!" Yoh seemed to have almost fainted anime style from shock. Cruel and horrible mental images entered his mind vaporizing the sanity out of him!

"Yoh? Are you alright?" Manta interrupted his frightening thoughts.

"Yes, of course, of course…" Yoh shrugged it off wondering what will become of him.

The rest of the way they walked in silence, as if they were walking towards the road of doom, Yoh began thinking about if he should confess to Manta whom he liked-liked. He looked down on Manta for a moment who seemed to have walked even calmer than he did. He didn't have to worry about going home to see a pissed-off witch just waiting to beat the crap out of him.

_Perhaps someone I know quite well? Other wise, I would have cried for someone else's sake even though I thought I was going to die then. And I think I also heard two other voices. I forgot if they sounded familiar, but there were no names. Probably to see if I'm still able to keep my mouth shut after what happened._

_I now know how scary it feels to be someone important. I always thought I wasn't needed that much by others although people depended on me because I use the Ouija board. I can practically find any answer I was looking for on it. But I never would have predicted there would be someone to attack me._

_And now I've completely lost all of my confidence in using the Ouija board ever since the person began to haunt me that Sunday morning. The Ouija board was still there. Left at the exact same spot it was when that person tapped into my mind. I guess even Miss Anna couldn't even get to the board when she was taken._

_Yes, she was taken by them. Three people came. But I was attacked by their ringleader, I think. And I blamed it all on myself because of that stupid Ouija board. But is it myself for choosing that area to train in, in the first place? Why would I be considered such a powerful person already? Is it just because I can predict the future and have good control of looking for all of the answer I need?_

_Maybe._

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The words were planted. She didn't know how they came into her head. She didn't hear a voice, only a blank mind putting its thoughts into her head.

"W..Why?" she trembled. The thoughts didn't answer back. Tamao again reached further daring the mind to mock her again.

"If you touch it, I will kill you." Her eyes widened in shock as she backed away from the Ouija board. "That's a good girl. I'll be watching you so you better not get anywhere near it…..understood?"

"Who are you!" she demanded. Tears began to form in her eyes. The mind seemed to have laughed at her.

"Poor Tamao. It looks like the Asakura family had been neglecting your talents. Your predictions 90 of the time have been concisely accurate. People wouldn't rely on you if you were just…..a beginner in using the Ouija board, correct? I'm also pretty sure seven years of hard work does not make you a trainee anymore. Am I right?"

_And the person seemed to have stated the Asakura family as if it was something foreign. But this person must have known about me using the Ouija board. Someone who had watching over me since I enrolled in as a student in the Asakura shrine._

_And someone who also seems to have enough confidence in who I am and what I can do. Someone, someone who saw right through me. And probably saw what I really can do._

_Is this why they were after me? But then what about Miss Anna? Is that person just using me as a setup to take her away. But why? What does Miss Anna have that they may want? Perhaps it is the itako ability she has. That's probably the only reason they may need her right now. To summon something perhaps._

_And Yoh-sama is blaming himself for the mess too._

"It'd be great if you'd help me with my research paper." Yoh suggested.

"You need to try doing this on your own!" Manta scolded.

"PLEASE MANTA! I'll do anything! Your homework, your chores, anything!" Yoh begged.

"Naa…..can't really trust you to even complete my homework in the first place and you'd probably screw up my entire house," Manta teased.

"Pleeeeaaaase! Oh, wait! I'll tell you who I like-like!" Yoh brought up the subject. Manta's head perked up.

"Seriously?" he asked. Yoh nodded.

"Yeah, seriously." Yoh said.

"Okay. Tell me now and then I'll help you with your paper. Deal?"

"What? Hey, now it's like you're the one making the deal," Yoh complained. "How about after you help me finish my research paper, then I ---" he froze dropping his groceries against the floor.

"…..? Yoh-kun?" Manta looked up at him, a startled, horrific look in his what used to be calm brown eyes. Manta turned his gaze and gasped at the sight of Yoh's house.

All of the glass windows had been completely shattered. Glass laid all over the floor. The house was standing and probably would have been easily fixed with a few payments of 100,000 yen (…I think that's the right amount..?). The furniture inside the house had been a wreaked, as if Yoh's house had became the center of the next world war.

"W…..What happened?" Manta asked. Yoh bit down on his tongue and walked towards the house ignoring the grocery bags that were left on the sidewalk.

"Anna?" Yoh called out. No answer. "Tamao?" No answer. Amidamaru came to his aid, and stared at the house, in shock. "What happened here?" his fists tightened, the nails digging deep into the skin of the palm, the nails dug so deep, Manta saw a few drops of blood landing on the sidewalk.

He stepped slowly towards the house. It was quiet. He dared himself to go further, afraid of what he may had to see, that's if…if the two were still alive. Amidamaru followed behind him sadly with Manta walking along seeing small drops of blood against the glass. The young boy shuddered at the suspenseful sight.

Exploring the house, Yoh checked many of the rooms on the lower floor not finding anyone to his dislike. But in the words, it made him both relieved and hysterical at the same time. Relieved he didn't see what he didn't want to see and hysterical of wondering when he's may find someone alive…..if they were alive, that is…..

"Tamao!" Yoh rushed over to the wounded girl. Blood flowing from her head, shoulder, arm, waist, and heel, crimson surrounding the floor beneath her and the glass debris that stabbed her skin, that had pierced her flesh. He picked her up and looked around the room for a moment.

Large wooden fragments in the wall were stained with ruby paint and the marble counter splashed with the same color. Her over soul board laid a couple feet away all in pieces obviously demonstrating that she had tried to fight back or resist at who or what had attacked her.

Manta and Amidamaru rushed into the kitchen in response to Yoh's voice.

"Tamao? Is she…..?" Manta paused as he heard the panic-stricken whisperings of the young girl repeating over and over.

"I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die." Manta stared discouraged, and confused, left not knowing what to do.

"Tamao? Tamao, it's me, Yoh." He tried encouraging her lightly to 'wake up'.

"I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die." She replied again and again.

"Call up Faust." Yoh ordered.

"Yoh..…"

"Call him up! Now!" he repeated, with a harsh tone. Manta nodded reaching for the phone. "And..…call the police too." He announced. "We need to make sure it gets to the others as well."

And it was like that for a while. No one said anything. It was just all too confusing and no one knew what to do. There was no one they could find to blame. There were no suspects of who could have done this. And the attack was also completely random.

The police arrived at their residence within ten minutes and writing down what had occurred. Some news stations also sent some of their crew to write a story on what had happened.

Faust was able to cure most of Tamao's injuries impressively fast even though the damages done seemed to be so major. Tamao received some blood transfers since the blood she had left after being attacked could hardly support her for another day. Unfortunately, although Faust cured most of her damages, he wasn't able to bring back her sanity in the mean time.

"I'm sorry, Yoh. She has gone completely and mentally insane. I don't have a cure that could help treat someone who has gone psychologically off the mental scale. Yet..…" he sighed. "…..another person..…whom I failed to save."

Within those two days, Tamao couldn't eat, sleep, talk, or do anything. She repeated the same sentence over and over for the past forty-eight hours still in total terror. She refused to go outside or into her room or anywhere near the Ouija board for being afraid of being attacked again.

Yoh hopelessly couldn't think of what to do now that Anna was gone, he quickly sunk into depression. Manta began to also notice his absence in school as began to grow since the incident.

But within two days after it all happened, fortunately, Tamao recovered—barely though. She still refused to go to her room, Conchi was discovered the next day, battered up like she was on that Sunday afternoon. Her words fell into broken sentences, saying she was attacked from behind, and she avoided talking or getting near other people, even Yoh. The school agreed to allow her to stay home for a week to recover most of her sanity from the incident.

During that week, Yoh did not go to school at all and only stayed in his room, isolated from everyone else and refused to talk to anyone. Not even Manta. These were the two people that seemed to have been hit hardest by that incident.

After that week had gone by, Tamao began to recover much faster. Although her cheery self didn't return, her speech became stable as it was before that Sunday evening, and she got back on track with her daily routine. But she still refused to go back to her room afraid that the person may talk to her again or perhaps kill her this time.

"Yoh-sama?" Tamao knocked on the door. No reply. She sighed again holding the tray of food. "Yoh-sama?" she knocked again.

"What?" a low, cold reply came. Tamao looked down at the food and sighed.

'Yoh-sama's been like this since Anna-sama disappeared. And it's all my fault for not being strong enough…..'

"..…Nothing," Tamao turned around to walk back downstairs.

"Tamao?" the door opened behind her after she took a few steps down the hall. Startled, she turned around looking up at Yoh. "..…It'd be nice to have some food. I am kinda starving." He admitted.

"You're a mess," Tamao added.

"I know." He sat down. She blinked. "We can eat right here, if that's okay with you." She smiled and nodded.

"Okay….." she placed the food down on the ground as Yoh slowly ate his food. The two stayed silent for a while as Tamao watched Yoh mindlessly eating. He gulped down a few mouthful of rice and some meat before he set down the bowl and the chopsticks.

"Thanks Tamao." Yoh thanked. Tamao nodded.

"Are you sure..…you don't want anymore?" she asked.

"I don't know. Things…..have changed so much since then. I…..don't know what to say about it all..…but…..you did a good job. Don't blame yourself for what has been done already," Yoh embraced the young Shaman. Tamao blushed in surprise, her heart beating fast and felt the temperature in her rise. "It's alright….. to cry once in a while….." tears began to form in her eyes. Tamao couldn't hold back anymore and tugged against his shirt allowing the tears to flow freely. "…..because I'm sad too."

_And it was quite obvious that dear Yoh was so upset over the issue. Just thinking about his words calmed me down a bit, but I still regret for not having turning around fast enough. Still, if I was only stronger, stronger like Anna, then none of this would have occurred._

_I didn't bother to ask what Yoh had been doing in his room the entire time though. But when he came out to stop me, his eyes seemed so sad, and slightly red. Did he cry too? But Yoh…..he was never like this. No…..he'd always have a way to find and get her back._

_And Manta wasn't happy either. I guess Yoh's absence to everyone had impacted them. Especially me. Of course, there was Horohoro and Ryu to drop by but Yoh refused to even look at them. He was really serious. Things these days have been so depressing, I don't understand at all._

_No, I still haven't gone back to my room. I've been just sleeping in the guest room and I had to convince Manta to get my clothes to bring it over into the guest room so I didn't have to go in my own room at all. Yes, I was really that frightened of dying. Even then, and even now._

_I don't know if the X-Laws know about this incident, but I'm pretty they had because of Lyserg. He's the only one who really has a connection with us that is at the same time from the X-Laws._

"Poor Tamao. It looks like the Asakura family had been neglecting your talents. Your predictions 90 of the time have been concisely accurate. People wouldn't rely on you if you were just…a beginner in using the Ouija board, correct? I'm also pretty sure seven years of hard work does not make you a trainee anymore. Am I right?"

_It was probably would have never attacked before in my life…..because I'm always so scared to hurt as well….._

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The words were planted. She didn't know how they came into her head. She didn't hear a voice, only a blank mind putting its thoughts into her head.

"W..Why?" she trembled. The thoughts didn't answer back. Tamao again reached further daring the mind to mock her again.

"If you touch it, I will kill you." Her eyes widened in shock as she backed away from the Ouija board. "That's a good girl. I'll be watching you so you better not get anywhere near it…understood?"

"Who are you!" she demanded. Tears began to form in her eyes. The mind seemed to have laughed at her.

_Someone who'd dare laugh at me. I know I can be weak, I know I can be fragile but..…who'd want to take advantage of me. Why am I so important? Why now? I don't care if I'm being used. This person knows me..…extremely well..…but I don't know anyone who knows me like that._

_That person..…was so strong too. That person was so heartless. Did he/she care if I bled to death? I don't understand. There are too little answers, and I'm the only one who knows them but I don't know them._

_But then…..! It makes sense. Someone who knew me so well, probably didn't communicate too much, but knew me enough. But then..…why would he/she do it then? And why me?_

_It doesn't matter now. Now that I have Ponchi back, I'm able to use them, try predicting without the Ouija board. Anna said I could do that, so..…does that person know I can do that slightly as well?_

_Manta suspects Asakura Hao for this. I almost agreed in some cases that he seemed to really deeply admire Anna more than just a simple admiration, but what does that have to do with me? Yes…he wanted my spirit before since it's one of those valued spirits that would make the Spirit of Fire much stronger but if it was him, why didn't he kill me then? It's that simple. He was so much stronger than I am if that was him who I fought against, and he could have taken my spirit away on the spot._

_If that was really Hao Asakura, he didn't take it..…he spared me when he originally wanted it._

_Could it probably have been Anna? Why and how could she have done such a thing then? That may have been the only way that Ponchi and Conchi would have been beaten up so badly. But she was taken so that wasn't possible._

The intruder came close to her, whispering in her ear so only she could hear.

"Like I said. I'll be watching you. And do NOT tell anyone of my appearance here." The enemy hissed. Tamao winced against the enemy's strong grip over her, although it was more of the wooden splinters that held her body up painfully against the wall.

"I don't know. Things…have changed so much since then. I…don't know what to say about it all…but…you did a good job. Don't blame yourself for what has been done already," Yoh embraced the young Shaman. Tamao blushed in surprise, her heart beating fast and felt the temperature in her rise. "It's alright… to cry once in a while…" tears began to form in her eyes. Tamao couldn't hold back anymore and tugged against his shirt allowing the tears to flow freely. "…because I'm sad too."

_This feeling…..it sounds so familiar. And…..it's almost too hard to believe that someone like him would do that to me. It's almost too hard to believe. But it makes so much sense. But why? Nonethless, there is only one person who is responsible for all of this….._

_Asakura Yoh._

A/N: WAAA! That took a long time! I somehow felt like I dragged out the story a bit. But I only wanted to give you ideas on who to point fingers to coz I'm not good at writing mystery stories and all coz I either my 'complex' stories are too easy to guess or they become to complicating that even I don't understand at all. I hope this would have been an improvement. Yeah, Tamao is going to confront Yoh.


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